Combined corn cooking and canning machine.



Patented Aug. 5, |902.

No. 706,4Ui.

L. s. FLECKENSTEIN. COMBINED CDBN COOKING AND CANNING MACHINE.

(Application led Dec. 4, 1901.)

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES By y y Afro/mns vu: wams vnins co, mofouma. wAsnlNGTon. o. e.

Patented Aug. 5, I902.` L. S. FLECKENSTEIN. COMBINED CORN GUUK'ING ANDCANNlNG MACHINE.

(Application led Dec. f1, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

IfNu Model.,

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- /N VENTO/9 E. 3, Flecfcenev A TTORNE YS No. 706,401. Patented Aug. 5,.|902.

L. s. FLEcKENsTEm.

COMBJNED CORN COOKING AND CANNING MACHINE.

` (Application filed Dec. 4, 1901.)

(No Modelj 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

/N VENTOH W/TNESSES ATTORNEYS Tm: cams PETERS cu, vamo-umn..wAsHlNu'ros. u x:4

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LEONARD S. FLEOKENSTEIN, OF EASTON, MARYLAND.

COMBINED CORN COOKING AND CANNING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part .of Letters Patent N0. 706,401, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed December 4, 1901. Serial No. 84,664. (No model.)

To all whom it 11i/tty concern,.-

Be it known that I, LEONARD S. FLECKEN- STEIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Easton, in the county of Talbot and State ofMaryland, have made certain new and useful Improvements in a CombinedCorn Cooking and Canning Machine,of which the following is aspecification.l

It is the object of my invention to produce an improved automatic corncooking and canning machine which shall be distinguished by simplicityof construction, economy of manufacture, and ease and efficiency ofoperation.

The details of construction, arrangement, and operation of parts are ashereinafter described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure lis a vertical section of the machine on the line l lof Fig. ll. Fig. 2 is another vertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig.4. Fig. 3 is a side view of the detachable device employed forconducting steam into the corn and agitating the same. Fig. l is a planview of the lower portion of the machine, a part of the platform beingbroken away. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating the detachable con-lnection of a pitman with a crank. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a slidinggate for the cooker.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. l and 2, A indicates a verticalcylinder into which the corn to be cooked and canned is placed. Thesaine is supported rigidly by legs a upon a horizontal platform B, whichis in turn supported by strong rigid framework b. Between such cylinderA and the platform or table B is arranged the mechanism for charging thecans oc, which are automatically and intermittently pushed along overthe platform, as hereinafter described. A vertical hollow shaft Oprojects through the bottom of the fixed cylinder A in the centerthereof and carries a scraper D and a device E, which combines 'thefunctions of a steam-discharger and cornagitator. The same isconstructed of a central tube e, which is adapted to slide upon theshaft O, and a series of hollow radial arms e. Steam is introduced intothe lower end of the hollow shaft C and enters the arms e of the deviceF. through holes c, which register with said arms, as shown. The latterare in turn provided with lateral openin gs through which the steam isdischarged into the corn. The device E is secured to the shaft O in therequired position by means of; a clamp-screw e2. It will be understoodthat any other preferred fastening may be employed. By this means it isapparent that when the shaft C is rotated the device E will have thesame motion and that the arms e' will pass throughthe body of corncontained within the cylinderA, while steam will be at thesame timedischarged from the arms, so as to thoroughly cook the corn.

. It is requisite that the corn-agitator E shall be cleaned at the endof each days work, and it is an important feature of my invention thatfor this purpose I have adapted it to be readily detached. rlhisoperation is elfected by simply `loosening the clamp-screw c2 andraising the device E vertically by means of its handle es. It may then.be placed in a water-tank and thoroughly cleaned. Thus much labor andtrouble incident to corncooking in which the stirring or agitatingdevice is fixed to its shaft are avoided and greater cleanliness isobtained.

Below the cylinder A and its platform-su pport a' is located thecan-charging apparatus proper. The same consists of a casting F, havinga cylindrical bore arranged horizontally, two pistons G,and two valves Hand H. The casting F is provided with openings at the top.which registerwith passages a2, leading down from the cylinder A, and on the underside it is similarly provided with two discharge-passages a3. In thecenter of the bore is arranged a transverse partition g. Trunk-pistonsGr are arranged on opposite sides of this partition g and connected by arod g', which passes through the latter. Said rod g is connected by apitman I with a crank arm or disk J. The pistons Gr are so arranged andoperated that when one is ejecting corn from one side of the chamber theother is opening to allow space for the introduction of the corn intothe chamber on the `other side of the partition g. In other words,whencorn is filling the chamber on one side it is being discharged on theother. To enable this to be done, it is obvious that the valves I-I andH' must operate oppositely-that is to say, in such manner as to closeone of the in- IOO let-passages a2 when the correspondingdischarge-passage 0.3 is open, and vice versa.

Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the left-handinlet-I' passage q2 is closed andthe corresponding of rest being such as required for the pistons G tomake a complete movement in one direction, whereby a can is charged. Toeffect this movement of the valves, they are connected with the radialarms 7c of a vertical rock-shaft K, (see Figs. l and 4,) which isprovided at its lower end with an arm 7c', whose -free end works in thecircumferential groove ot' a circular cam L, mounted upon acounter-shaft M. The groove of the cam has an abrupt offset, so that asudden rotary movement is imparted to the shaft K once in each rotationof said cam, and therebya correspondingly sudden movement of the valvesH H' is effected, so as to cut oif inlet and discharge of cornpractically instantaneously. The parts are so arranged that thisintermittent reciprocation of the valves H H occurs just preceding eachreciprocating movement of the pistons G G. It will be understood thatthe movement of the latteris continuous and that a can is charged witheach movement of the same inward or outward. In practice theconnecting-rod I will be so attached to the pistons that the parts maybe easily disconnected for the purpose of cleaning the apparatusand,further,that the valves H H will also be detachably connected withthe shaft K for the same purpose.

The cans which are to be charged, are received upon the platform Bthrough a vertical passage or chute N. (See Fig. 2.) Thus a. series ofcans rest one upon another end- Wise, as shown, and for the purpose ofmoving them laterally upon the platform a distance the Width of thediameter of a can I employ the pusher O, which is a device adapted toslide upon the platform. (See Fig. 2.) It is reciprocated as required bymeans of a vertical lever P, which is pivoted at p to the rigidbase-frame b and is vibrated by a crankshaft Q, with which itisconnected by a bar or rod R. There are in practice two chutes orcan-passages N and two can-pushers O, with corresponding actuatingmechanism. (See Fig. 4.) As before intimated, the throw of the lever Pis such that traverse of the pusher O is exactly the diameter of a can,and the cans a; being arranged to slide between parallelhorizontalguides it is apparent thatacan will be broughtbeneath adischargeopening of the charging apparatus with each inward movement ofsaid lever P. As shown in Fig. 2, the pusher O has an extended top S bymeans of beveled gearing c.

portion which as the same is moved inward for propelling the cans on theplatform B comes under the series of cans remaining in the chutes N andsupports them during its reciprocation; but when the pusher O makes itsbackwardv movement it passes from beneath such series of cans, so thatthey fall the distance of the length of a can, thus placing the lowestcan of the series upon the platform in readiness to be acted upon by thepusher. It is apparent from the previous description of the can-chargingoperation that the latter is effected alternately-that is to say, thatone can is filled at a time. In correspondence with this the cranks ofthe shaft Q are set directly opposite each other, so that the pushers O,with which said cranks are connected, move alternately in opposite di-`rections simultaneously. Thus one row of cans is pushed forward whilethe-other is at` rest. The cans pass completely across the platform ortable B and in so doing come beneath the charging apparatus F and areforced upon a rotating table y, (see Fig. 4,) which is shown by dottedlines.

I will now describe more in detail the mechanism for effecting theseveral operations of the shafts and other parts above referred to.

A drive-shaft S (see Fig. 4) is arranged horizontally in suitablebearings beneath the platform B and provided with a band-wheel X. Thevertical shaft C, carrying the corn-agitator, is rotated directly fromthe drive-shaft The counter-shaft M is operatively connected with thedrive-shaft S by means of gearing m, one of Which is an idler. The shaftM is also operatively connected with the double crank-shaft Q by meansof a train of gears m, one of which is an idler. The crank-disk J ismounted upon a shaft W, which is operatively connected with thecounter-shaft M by beveled gearing w. For the purpose of throwing themachine into and out of action I employ a lever U, which is pivoted at'1t to the under side of the platform B and serves to operate a slidingclutch V, which is mounted upon a feathered or splined portion of theshaft M and is adapted to engage a corresponding clutch on one of thetrain of gears m. Thus by moving the lever U in one direction or theother the clutch V may be thrown into or out of engagement with thetrain of gears m, whereby the shaft M will be rotated or left at restcorrespondingly. V

In case of a difference in the diameter of the cans :rthe throw of thelever P, by whichl the pusher O is operated, requires to be changed, andfor this purpose the rod R, which connects the lever with thecrank-shaft Q, is adapted to be adjusted higher or lower on said lever,as shown 'in Fig. 2.

In order to enable the throw of the pistons G to be varied as may berequired, the wristpin j, by which the rod I is connected with thecrank-disk J, may be shifted in position readily, as illustrated in Fig.5.

IOO

The operation of the machine as a whole, brieiiy recapitulated, is asfollows: The cylinder A being filled with corn which is to be cooked andcanned and the machine being put in operation by due shifting of thehandlever U, the shaft C will be rotated and with it the agitator andsteam-discharger E. During the time that the corn is being cooked thepistons G may be left at rest by detaching the wrist-pin j fromconnection with the rod I. When the corn has been duly cooked and therod I again connected with the wrist-pin, the corn will iill thechambers in the casting F alternately and be alternately dischargedtherefrom by the pistons, it being understood that the valves II and II'will be operated simultaneously and intermittently with greatsuddenness, so as to alternately cut off and open inlet and dischargeopenings of the respective chambers in said casting. Thus a can :t willbe iilled at each sliding movement of the pistons. Simultaneously withthe above charging operation one of the cornpushers O will be operatedto force a row of cans across the platform B the distance of thediameter of a can, and when the pistons again make another movement inthe opposite direction this pusher will be retracted, and the otherpusher will operate in the same manner to propel another line of cansacross the platform. Thus the two lines or rows of cans progressstepwise across the platform alternately the distance of the diameter ofa can and in so doing rest under the charger the required length of timeto allow them to be duly filled.

In Fig. 6 I show a Vertically-slidable gate d'1, which is applied tocover an opening in the lower portion of the cylinder or corn-receiverA. This gate slides in vertical guides a5 and is operated by a pivotedhand-lever d6, as shown. By opening the gate access may be convenientlyhad to the receptacle A for removing corn when required, also forcleaning the receptacle and removing obstructions to the operation ofthe agitator therein. The provision of such opening and the gatetherefor is a matter of much practical importance in the operation ofcorn-cookers of this class, since with the usual construction ofcylinder or corn-receptacle it is very difficult to obtain access to thelower portion of the same, and yet such access is often required. By theprovision of the opening and gate the corn therein may be allowed to runout, and the operator. may then inspect the interior of the cylinder andeasily remove any foreign substance or article that may have beenaccidentally introduced along with the corn. The corn being ordinarilyat a temperature of about 180, it is manifestly necessary that it shallbe let out of the cylinder in order to enable investigation to be madeas to the cause of obstruction, Sac. By means of the opening and gatetherefor I effect a great economy of time in the operation of theapparatus. The lever may be fulcrumed on either side of the guide-frame,as the position of the apparatus may require.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a corn cooking and canning machine, the combination with theVertical corn-receiver, and the hollow, apertured, verticalshaft,supported in the lower portion of the machine and projectingupward and terminating `freely in said receiver and means for rotatingsaid shaft, of the agitator formed of a central apertured tube,andlateralhollow armshaving apertures for discharging steam, the saidagitator being supported on the shaft and adapted to be drawn upward andremoved from both the shaft and receiver, as required for cleaning it,as shown and described.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination, with acorn-receiver, of a casting secured to the under side of the same andhaving a transverse bore provided with aoentral partition, two connectedpistons arranged to reciprocate in the two chambers formed on oppositesides of said partition, two inlet and two discharge passages arrangedvertically opposite each other in-the upper and lower sides,respectively, of the casting, the two discharge-passages openingadjacent to the partition and divergingtherefrom downward, and twoslidable valves provided with slots arranged as described, and means foroperating said pistons and valves, whereby the pistons are continuouslyreciprocated, and the valves are intermittently reciprocated, asrequired for closing and opening coincident inlet and dischargeopenings, simultaneously, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a machine of the characterdescribed, the combination, withacorn-receiver, having two discharge-passages, two chambers communicatingwith such passages and having discharge-passages as specified, a centralpartition dividing the two chambers from each other, two pistons and arod connecting the same and passing through said partition, the pistonsbeing separated a distance sufficient to admit a can charge between eachof them and the partition; means for imparting continuous reciprocationto the pistons; and two valves slotted as described, and arranged inguideways above and below the pistons; a rock-shaft connected with saidvalves, and a rotatable cam having an abrupt oset with which an arm ofthe said rock-shaft engages, substantially as shown and described,Whereby the valves are moved suddenly and simultaneously immediatelypreceding a return movement of the pistons, thereby alternately cuttingoff an inlet and closing a discharge passage of lthe respectivechambers, as specified.

LEONARD S. FLECKENSTEIN; Witnesses:

WM. G. DENNY, J. FLETCHER CLARK.

Ido

